On 4 January 2022, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) published a revised version of its Guidelines for Environmental and Social Considerations, the first revision in 12 years. According to JICA's FAQ, the 2022 Guidelines apply to projects officially requested from the Government of Japan from April 2022; projects requested before 31 March 2022 remain under the 2010 Guidelines.
Main changes
- Greenhouse gases: Projects expected to emit more than 25,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year (Scope 1) must estimate and disclose their emissions before implementation, covering CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O.
- Disclosure of environmental assessment reports: The disclosure approach was changed to encourage earlier public dissemination and dialogue during project formulation. For Category A projects, reports must be disclosed at least 120 days before the agreement documents are concluded.
- Participation of affected people: Measures to secure appropriate participation of affected people were strengthened.
- Resettlement and indigenous peoples: For Category A projects with large-scale involuntary resettlement, the resettlement action plan must be disclosed before environmental review; the same applies to an indigenous peoples plan where specific measures are needed (in Viet Nam, generally for ethnic minority communities). JICA considers it desirable for these plans to include the elements set out in the World Bank's ESS5 and ESS7.
- Objection procedures: Greater emphasis on the independence and neutrality of the examiners, a longer investigation period and easier submission of objections.
Points for preparing JICA-financed projects
PMUs should schedule the disclosure of the EIA report, resettlement plan and ethnic minority development plan when setting the project preparation timeline, since disclosure milestones are tied to appraisal and agreement dates. For energy, transport or industrial projects with significant emissions, greenhouse gas estimates should be prepared early. As JICA refers to World Bank standards, comparing JICA requirements, World Bank standards and Vietnamese law helps identify gaps from the outset.